Gingerbreadhouses
MAKES1 L ARGEAND1 SMALLHOUSE.
HANDS-ONTIME1 HOUR,OVENTIME1 HOUR
30 MIN,PLUSSETTINGANDDECORATING
MAKE
AHEADStore the cooked, cooled
gingerbread pieces in a cake
tin for up to 2 weeks.- 4 quantities master gingerbread
dough, rolled and chilled - 1 quantity master royal icing
- 1 quantity master icing glue
YOU’LL ALSO NEED...
- Online templates (see
deliciousmagazine.co.uk/
gingerbread-houses-templates)
to prepare the houses; 2cm square
cookie cutter; 2 large baking
sheets lined with compostable
baking paper (you’ll need more
baking paper for the batches);
piping bag fitted with no. 2 plain
nozzle; 2 x display boards or cake
stands; extra decorations of your
choice, plus little battery powered
LED lights, if you like (buy on
Amazon or from hobbycraft.co.uk)
1 Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/
gas 4. To make the large house, take
2 quantities of gingerbread dough
and, using the online templates as
a guide, cut shapes from it to create
2 roof pieces and 4 walls. Remove
any excess dough, then put the pieces
onto the prepared sheets (see baking
tips, p72). Bake in batches for 12-15
minutes, rotating from the top to the
bottom shelf if necessary, until the
gingerbread is just firm and slightly
golden (it will crisp up when cool).
2 While the gingerbread is still warm
and soft, use the tip of a sharp knife
to trim and straighten the edges
(see baking tips, p72). Using a 2cm
square cutter, cut 8 squares to
create 2 windows on the front panel
of the house. From the same panel,
start at the base of the piece and
cut out a 5cm x 8cm rectangular
door, lined up below the centre of
the two windows. Reserve the
cut-out piece to create the door.
Transfer the pieces to wire racks
to cool completely.
3 To assemble, stand the 4 walls
on a display board or cake stand
and secure the edges with icing glue,
holding with your fingers until the
icing sets (see baking tips, p72).
Leave to set fully for an hour before
adding the roof. Once set, attach the
roof pieces, securing with icing glue.
Set aside for 3 hours or until the
icing glue has completely set.
4 To decorate, pipe lines of thick
royal icing onto the roof to resemble
tiles, then pipe/spoon the runnier
icing glue over the roof ridge, letting
it cascade over to look like snow.
Pipe a dot of royal icing onto the door
for a handle. Prop the door onto the
outside of the house. Add extra
decorations as shown here, if you like.5 To make the small house, take
2 quantities of master gingerbread
dough and, using the online
templates as a guide, cut out the
shapes for the house and chimney,
then bake and cool as in step 1.
6 While the gingerbread is still warm
and soft, use a sharp knife to trim
and straighten the edges (see baking
tips, p72). Using a 2cm square cutter,
cut 2 windows on the front panel of
the house then, using a sharp knife,
cut a 3.5cm x 4cm rectangular
window just below the square
windows. Transfer the gingerbread
to wire racks to cool completely.
7 Once cool, use a piping bag to pipe
a door and handle on the front wall
with royal icing. Set aside.
8 Assemble as with the large house
(step 3), then set aside for 3 hours or
until the royal icing has set.
9 Meanwhile, cut and assemble the
chimney: cut 2 of the rectangles to
match the pitch of the roof and trim
an offcut for the back of the chimney.
Secure the 4 pieces with icing glue.
Once it’s set (2 hours), attach the
chimney to the roof of the house with
more icing glue, then leave to set
completely (another 3 hours).
10 To decorate, pipe lines of royal
icing onto the roof to resemble roof
tiles, then spoon icing glue over half
the roof and on the chimney, letting it
cascade down to look like snow. Add
extra decorations and LED lights
inside as shown here, if you like. →GINGERBREAD: FROM HUSBANDS TO HOUSES
No one knows who invented gingerbread, but from Germ
lebkuchen to Swedish pepparkakor, spiced bakes have
a long history in Europe and elsewhere. The UK’s many
regional versions, some now lost, include Grasmere
gingerbread from Cumbria and Cornish fairings.
Early gingerbread was made from breadcrumbs, hone
spices, often shaped in wooden moulds. Gingerbreadpeoplewere
made at the court of Elizabeth I to resemble VIP visitors,andwomen
bought a gingerbread ‘husband’ at fairs in hope of securinga realone.
Modern gingerbread came about as wheat flour and treacle syrup (a
by-product of sugar refining) became more common in the 18th century.
The gingerbread house is thought to be a German invention,
popularised when the Brothers Grimm published Hansel and Gretel in
1812, which of course features the witch’s edible cottage.TO MAKE YOUR OWN TEMPLATES...
Measurements for the large house:- 2 x 17cm x 18cm rectangles
for the roof • 2 x 14.5cm x 17cm
rectangles for the side walls - 2 x 16cm x 17cm rectangles
with 17cm gables for the front
and back walls
Measurements for the small house: - 2 x 14.5cm x 15cm rectangles
for the roof • 2 x 12.5cm x 13cm
rectangles for the side walls - 2 x 12cm x 12.5cm rectangles
with 12.5cm gables for the front
and back walls • 3 x 3.5cm x
7cm rectangles for the chimney
(cut 2 of them from baked and
cooled offcuts in step 9)
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GINGERBREAD HISTORY: PHOEBE STONE